Has anyone ever heard of allopurinol?

[PreciousDove]

Has anyone ever heard of allopurinol or febuxostat?
These are medications that can relieve the symptoms of gout and arthritis.

I, like probably many members here don't like taking medications unless it's absolutely necessary.
If you have heard of these or have taken it can you please post what you think of it and have you had any side effects.
Did these medications really help?

 

[Timewise 60+]

I went through a six month period where I was having severe gout attacks in my ankles or big toe. My doctor gave me Allopurinol, as I recall. It stopped to pain within a few days. This went on for six months until my doctor figured out that my gout was being caused by a medication he started my on. When I stopped taking the medication, my gout stopped.

That was over two years ago and I have had no side affects or problems from taking Allopurinol. Although, I do have arthurites in my left ankle from have the gout attacks.

 

[kimmer]

I take Allopurinal for gout and have been doing so for a year. My blood draws show the gout under control and I no longer have the pain I once had. I still have to take meds for my severe RA which causes its own pain